Police Hold Donation Case With Signed Letter From West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Tomorrow

West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi/left/DOK ANTARA

PADANG - Padang Police will hold a case related to donation issues with a letter signed by the Governor of West Sumatra Mahyeldi.

"The case will be held tomorrow (Friday, August 27) to determine the status of the case," said Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Padang Police, Kompol Rico Fernanda, quoted by Antara, Thursday, August 26.

He said that in this matter his party focused on the crime of fraud as the initial report received by the Padang Police.

"So our focus is the alleged fraud that was allegedly carried out by five people as collectors of donations," he said.

The five people are Do (46), DS (51), Ag (36), MR (50), and DM (36) who brought official letters to ask for sponsorship from a number of institutions, agencies, and other business entities.

In fact, said Kompol Rico, it is known that they are not employees or temporary staff of the local government. Now they are still witnesses.

"So, from the court case, it will be determined whether the five people have committed fraud or not," said Commissioner Rico.

Rico said that during the process his party had examined 10 witnesses in the matter, both from the provincial government (Bappeda), five people who were reported, and others.

The witness from the West Sumatra Bappeda who was questioned by the police admitted that he knew about the official letter, but did not know about the governor's signature on it.

In addition, the police have secured hundreds of letters which are planned to be distributed to various agencies and institutions in this area.

The letter is dated May 12, 2021, Numbered 005/3904/V/Bappeda-2021, while the subject is the publication of the profile and potential of the Province of West Sumatra.

It was signed by Mahyeldi Ansarullah, then used by five people to ask for money from a number of parties.

In the letter, it is stated that the recipient of the letter participates and contributes to sponsoring the preparation and publication of the profile book "West Sumatra "Civil, Superior and Sustainable Province" in Indonesian, English, and Arabic versions as well as in "soft copy".

The polemic of the proposal letter for the book was started when a resident reported it to the police for finding something odd.

The residents found it strange because the letter signed by the governor was distributed by people who were not employees and the donation money was deposited into a personal account instead of a regional or official account.

"We then followed up the report by tracing and securing the five people along with the letters they brought," he said.